2026 Women’s Perspective

For the past six years Image City Photography Gallery has presented Women’s Perspectives, an exhibit that celebrates the photography of eight female photographers and the personal ways they see and experience the world. This year the photographers include Diane W. Dersch, Joyce Freitas, Donna LaPlante, Melissa Mance-Coniglio, Margy Meath, Sandi Osterwise, Martha Price and Patty Singer.

Some of the photographers describe their work as an expression of connection–––whether to place, to people or to something more spiritual. For example, Diane Dersch says that her images show “my love of God’s creation” with nature serving as both subject and sanctuary.

Joyce Freitas reflects on being outdoors––near water, along country roads, or among wild horses. She says “Any time I can be out, Nature feeds my soul with wanting to capture an image to relive the sense of peace I feel when I click the shutter button.” One of Joyce’s images also highlights how powerful a single image can be when it holds a story. She explains that her photo of two wild horses is more than a portrait––it recalls a shared adventure, laughter, and a fleeting moment with her sister; which now lives on through the image.

In Melissa Mance-Coniglio’s case, a serene loon gliding across the Saint Lawrence River at sunset becomes a study in patience, as well as an opportunity for quiet meditation on a summer evening. She says, “I was sitting in a kayak at sunset on the Saint Lawrence River near my camp.  The waves had finally calmed for the evening, and the sun was almost gone.  The loon swam around me, and I quietly sat with my paddle balanced on my lap as he got closer.  As he passed me, he got between me and the sunset.  He basically looked like he was swimming in molten lava.  It was a visually stunning experience, and I was glad to capture the effect in the photo.”

Many of the photographers have a deep emotional connection to their images. Margy Meath, the organizer of the exhibit, speaks to this beautifully, noting that every photograph she chooses to display carries with it a memory of time, place and feeling. Her image of a snowy owl, admired for its simplicity and beauty, reflects not only a visual moment but the amazing experience of encountering and photographing such a remarkable subject, something she describes as “an incredible gift.” 

Memory and tribute also play a role in some of Sandi Osterwise’s photos. Sandi shares an image of a bald eagle named Liberty, photographed at a Braddock Bay Raptor Research event. Of the many images she captured that day, this one remains her favorite. Liberty passed in 2022, and through this photograph, she is remembered––not just as a subject, but as a presence. It is a reminder of how photography can preserve not only what we see, but what we feel and wish to hold onto.

The exhibit’s Spring Wall brings all eight photographers together in a shared theme wall. After a long winter, spring becomes an especially meaningful theme––symbolizing renewal, color and new life. This sense of new life is reflected in Martha Price’s image of fox kits, their alert expressions and close grouping capturing both curiosity and vulnerablity. The photo feels like a quiet glimpse into a hidden world–––one that embodies the season’s sense of emergence and growth.

In another moving contribution, Joyce Freitas chose a vibrant tulip image for the Spring Wall , not only for its celebration of color and renewal, but as a way to honor her sister and a meaningful day they spent together. She says that her sister had a bucket list and one of the items was to stay at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, where the tulip displays are stunning.

For some photographers, spring is found in delicate new blooms; for others, in moments where life itself is just beginning to unfold. We invite you to experience for yourself all of the photos included in  Women’s Perspectives 2026, which is an exhibit about seeing––seeing the world with intention, with emotion and through the unique perspectives of eight accomplished photographers.

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